21 lawmakers sign to impeach Imo Speaker

TRACKING>>Twenty-one lawmakers in the Imo State House of Assembly have signed to impeach their Speaker, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim.

The lawmakers served the speaker impeachment notice on Wednesday.

The lawmakers elected the member representing of Onuimo State Constituency, Hon Chinedu Offor as the Acting Speaker of the House, while allegations against the Speaker were investigated.

However, the Speaker dismissed the action of the Lawmakers as null, void and of no consequence, arguing that the impeachment notices were not issued through press releases.

The Speaker had during plenary read a letter of apology from the suspended Local Government Chairmen and ruled that they should be recalled without calling for a vote.

Objections raised by members of the House were shut down by the Speaker who quickly adjourned and left with the majority leader of the House, Lugard Osuji.

Aggrieved members who perceived the walkout as a slight stayed behind in the hallowed chambers even after the power supply had been cut off, throwing the entire House into darkness.

Briefing journalists at the House of Assembly, Offor stated that Ihim had consistently run the House without recourse to parliamentary process, adding that his action at the plenary session of the House on Wednesday was an insult to the other Lawmakers.

Offor added that “the Speaker had taken a unilateral decision to recall the suspended local government Council Chairmen contrary to our resolution at the Executive session”.

He added that efforts to speak by members who invoked order 15 of the house rules were rebuffed by the Speaker who quickly adjourned without giving room for the input of other members of the House, The Nation reports.